1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of devices for use in connection with phonograph records, and more specifically, to a device for providing phonograph records with a cleaned, conditioned, lubricated and static-free playing surface.
2. Prior Art
The advancements made in today's high fidelity phonograph systems have brought sound reproduction to an extremely high level. However, because such systems are of such quality and accuracy, should the grooves of a typical record contain even minor amounts of dirt, either in the form of particles of dust, oils, fingerprints, smoke and/or other undesirable material, such contamination can be picked up by the phonograph stylus, magnified, and heard through the speakers. Further, modern records are very susceptible to static electricity which causes dust and dirt to adhere and to be attracted to the surface. Thus, there is a great need to keep the surface of such records extremely clean as well as static-free.
While the problems caused by contamination in the grooves of phonograph records has been recognized in the industry for some time, the means to efffectively remove contamination from the relatively fragile surface of a record has been elusive. Recently, there has been a proliferation of devices which have attempted to remove the undersirable contamination from the grooves of the record. In these devices, various cleaning brushes, pads, and other applicators, both with and without cleaning solutions, are used to clean the record. One such device is marketed under the name "Vac-o-Rec". This device removes dust from the phonograph record by applying a vacuum brush system to the surface.
Another record cleaning device is sold by the Discwasher Company. In the Discwasher device, a velvet pad is used with several drops of a cleaning fluid. The fluid is applied to the pad which is then swept back and forth around the record.
Yet another device is sold under the name "Lenco-Clean Systems" which contains an arm with a storage reservoir attached to the stylus arm and applied to the record via a small plastic brush. Yet other devices are made by Realistic, Soundguard, Watts, Memorex Keith Monks and others.
While all of the above devices do tend to clean the record somewhat, it has been found that they all contain a number of shortcomings. For example, many of the above-referenced devices are extremely awkward to use while others are extremely complex to mount onto the stylus arm or turntable, and can otherwise interfere with the travel of the record on the record player. Further, it has been determined that there are three basic problems to be considered in the care and handling of phonograph records, to wit: 1. removing contaminants from the record for better sound reproduction in which some of the above-identified devices more or less tend to perform satisfactorily; 2. conditioning the record such that less wear of the stylus on the record grooves is achieved. Conditioning of the record usually requires that a liquid composition be applied. While some of the above-identified devices condition the records, they do so at the expense of proper cleaning of the grooves; and 3. treating the record so as to render it substantially static-free thereby eliminating the build-up of dust which is attracted by static electricity to the surface thereof. Again, while some of the above devices do tend to render the surface of a record static-free, they do so at the expense of proper cleaning and/or conditioning.
Prior art references which show yet other cleaning devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,486,757; 3,355,177; and German Pat. No. 46,116.
In Application, Ser. No. 863,897, a record cleaning device which overcomes the problems associated with these prior art devices was disclosed. Such device not only cleaned the record, but also conditioned it, lubricated it, and rendered it substantially static-free. The present device represents yet further advancement in the record cleaning art. The device of the present invention is relatively simple to produce, easy to use, and contains none of the complexities associated with the prior art devices. The device of the present invention is preferably used with a highly volatile cleaning solution which prior art could not use. That is, in prior art devices if a highly volatile cleaning solution was used, by the time the cleaning fluid was applied to the record, a substantial portion of the cleaning fluid would evaporate and thus prevent proper cleaning and conditioning. Prior art devices therefore used low volatile solutions. But this meant that the record had to be dried before it could be used.
The device of the present invention enables even a highly volatile cleaning/conditioning solution to be applied in such a manner that the entire record is cleaned/conditioned before the solution volatilizes. After cleaning/conditioning is completed the solution is evaporated. This enables the record to be played immediately after cleaning/conditioning is completed.